Apparatus for purifying gases.



H. BOYD.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.31, 1903. 3 snms snm L No 799,529. PATEISITED SEPT. 12, 1905.

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APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING GASES.

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APPLICATION FILED MARJH, 1903.

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No. 799,589. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

H. BOYD.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAILSI. 1903.

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4 W? ATTO RN bfS INVENTOR HUGH BOYD, OF THORNTON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed March 31, 1903. Serial No. 150,423.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH BOYD, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Thornton, in the county of Lancaster, England, (whose postal address is Blanchard House, Thornton, England,) have invented certain Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for Purifying and Cooling Gas-Producer Gases, (for which application for British Patent has been made, N 0. 1,182, dated January 17, 1903,) of which the following is a specification.

This inventionhas-for its object to provide an improved plant for the production and purification of gas, particularly for those gases obtained from inferior grades of coal, so as to permit of the production from such coal of a gas that will be of value for use in gas-engines or the like, where it is essential that a gas be used which will leave no tar deposit in or adjacent to the valve mechanism. This object I attain by the peculiar combination and arrangement of generator, gas-washing vessel, fan, water purifier, tar-separator, condenser, and scrubber, as will hereinafter be more particularly set forth.

A further object of my invention is to so arrange these elements in combination with a steam-boiler heated by the gas itself as it comes from the producer that all the necessary power-consuming devices necessary for the proper cooperation of my improved plantsuch as fans, pumps, and the like-may be economically operated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan, and Fig. 2, Sheet 2, a side elevation, of the improved apparatus. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 4, a transverse section, of a detail connected with the apparatus.

In the drawings the same reference letters and numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a steam-boiler A, which is fitted to the gas-outlet B from the producer B. The boiler A is of the usual upright type, having a fire-door A, grate-bars, and the usual boiler accessories, the smoke-stack or chimney part A being furnished with a valve A When starting to put the improved plant into operation, steam is first raised in the boiler A by lighting a fire on the boiler grate-bars, the chimney-valve A being opened for the escape of the products of combustion. When sufl3icient steam-pressure has thus been obtained,

the steam is used to operate a steam-jet blower U to blow air into the producer-fire, which has been lighted in the usual way, the steam being led into the blower by the pipe connection C, or, if preferred, the air may be blown into the fire by a fan driven from an engine, to be hereinafter described, the exhaust-steam from the engine being used to moisten the air, thecxhaust-pipe for this purpose being led from the engine into the delivery-pipe from the fan.

When the producer-fire is in condition so that gas of suitable quality is being produced, the fire-door A and chimney-valve A are tightly closed. The producergas then entering the 'boiler A and traversing-over the heating surfaces without being consumed passes up the chimney A and down-a pipe A, leading therefrom to a tar-separator and gaswashing vessel D, the sensible heat of the gas thus taking the place of that of the ordinary fire. In this tar-separator D, which is of an improved form, the gas enters an inner chamber D, Figs. 3 and 4E, and the pressure forces it in fine streams through small holes D inthe sides of the chamber and through awater seal E in a trough or lute-box E into an external chamber part E from which it passes byside passages E E* into another inner chamber G, corresponding to the first chamber D, then through another series of holes G and through a second water seal G in a lute-box G into an external chamber G*, from which it passes for further treatment into another part of the apparatus, to be referred to shortly. The lute-boxes E G as shown in Fig. 3, extend outward and slope upward at one side beyond the separator D, so that deposited tar and dust may be conveniently raked out, swivel drain-pipes H H being furnished for each box for the purpose of regulating the level of the water, the pipe H for the upper box E draining, preferably, into the lower box G and the pipe H for the lower box draining into the lute B in connection with the producer B. The tar-separator thus consists of two sets of inner and outer chambers and lute-boxes; but more than two may be employed, if desired, and in some cases one set may only be used. The gas leaves the last external chamber G of the separator D by outlet-pipes or exits G G and enters a revolving fan J, driven as hereinafter described, and meets with a spray of water introduced into the fan through a pipe J. The gas is thereby further subjected to the cleansing action of water, which, along with the tar, is partially separated from the gas by the centrifugal action of the fan J. The action of the fan J is such that the partially-separated water, tar, and gas on leaving the fan pass with speed and pressure into a box K, provided with two partitions or screens K K in which are formed rows of small holes or slotted perforations, the holes in the screen K next the inlet K being preferably smaller than and not opposite to those in the other screen. The gas in passing through the screens K K is thus divided into small streams, so that the globules of tar and water are broken up and the tar and water thereby effectively separated from the gas. The tar and water settle down in the bottom of the box K and are run 011 through a gas-sealed water lutepipe K. In some cases one screen or even more than two screens may be employed. The gas now passes from the separating-box K into a pipe K leading to the upper end of an evaporator-condenser coil L, the lower end or outlet L of which is connected to a scrubber M. The gas thus takes a downward course through the coil; but it may be arranged to take an opposite course, if desired. Water is run over the outside surfaces of the coilof pipes L from a water-trough L, the water emerging from the trough through perforations L Fig. 1, formed in its base, so that it is thus equally and effectively distributed over the pipes. The water finally falls into a receptacle or trough L arranged underneath the coil L. A pump N, driven by an engine P, receiving steam from the boiler A. is provided to circulate the water from the lower to the upper trough, a suction-pipe N being led from the lower trough L to the pump N, while a discharge-pipe L* is led from the discharge side of the pump to the upper trough L, so as to suitably discharge the water into the trough as required. A feed-pump Q for the boiler A and also the fan J are driven by the engine P, motionbeing conveyed from the engine to the fan preferably through belt-gearing P. The gas after passing through the condenser-coil L, as aforesaid, then enters the scrubber M at its lower end. The scrubber is of the usual con- On the lower or first shelf M there is preferably placed a layer of broken coke. On the second shelf 1W coke or similar material is arranged in a smaller state of division. On the third shelf M there is placed chips orshavings of wood, and on the fourth or top shelf N sawdust or woolen or cotton waste. The bottom of this scrubber M is provided with a drain-pipe M which is suitably sealed by water. The gas thus completely cleansed and dried passes from the scrubber M by the outlet M either to the gas-engine direct or to a gas-reservoir, as may be required.

In some cases the gases may be led direct from the producer to the first separating and washing vessel D without passing through a steam-boiler, and in this case the machinery used may be driven in any suitable manner.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is* 1. A gas making and purifying plant, comprising a producer, a tar-separator in which the gas direct from the producer comes in direct contact with the water, an outlet from said vessel, a fan connected thereto, a pressure-box, a passage from the fan to the box whereby the gas may be driven with increased pressure into the pressure-box, an evaporatorcondenser, a passage from the box thereto, a scrubber and a passage from the condenser to the scrubber, in the sequence described.

2. A gas making and purifying plant, comprising a producer, asteam-boiler at the outlet therefrom, a gas-Washing tar-separator at the outlet from the boiler, an engine driven by the steam from the boiler, a fan at the outlet from the gas-washing vessel, and driven from the said engine, a pressure-box at the outlet from the fan, whereby the gas from the gas-washing vessel may be driven with increased pressure into said pressure-box, an evaporating-condenser at the outlet from the pressure-box, a scrubber at the outlet from the condenser and a pump for supplying water to the condenser driven by aforesaid engine, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HUGH BOYD. WVitnesses:

WM. PIERCE, JOHN HENRY THOMAS. 

